Lt Erle Britt Trotter, 3rd Bn, Royal West Kent Regt

Even after the First World war ended, men who had served during the war were still dying in uniform, or dying of their wounds. Lieutenant Erle Britt Trotter of the 3rd Battalion,Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), died on the 28th May 1919.

Erle's medal index card shows that he first served with the 1st Home Counties Field Ambulance. His number indicates that he joined at the end of November or the beginning of December 1912. He arrived in France on the 17th December 1914 as a sergeant and with the number 2100. When the Territorial Force was re-numbered in 1917 he was given a new number: 493093.

Erle was awarded the Distinguished Conducted Medal whilst serving as sergeant with the RAMC and this was gazetted on the 26th January 1917. His citation reads:

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He displayed great courage and determination when in charge of a number of stretcher bearer squads. On several occasions he personally attended the wounded under very heavy fire."

Sergeant Trotter was commissioned in the Royal West Kent Regiment on the 24th November 1917 and would win the Military Cross whilst serving with the regiment; a brave man who died at home in Gillingham (cause of death unknown) in 1919. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records that he was 26 years old and also held the "Medaille Militaire (France). [He was the] son of Alice Harris (formerly Trotter) and the late William Richard Trotter of 225 Canterbury Street, Gillingham."

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
London Gazette